Identities for sale: fake documentation on the rise

FAKE Australian passports, drivers licences, university degrees and even military service certificates are being brazenly bought and sold online.

Greg Newton, head of one of Australia's leading background checking firms, Verify, said fake documentation was "on the increase".

On the website falsedocuments.cc, an Australian passport costs 600 euro ($775) and for an extra 200 euro they will throw in a drivers licence and ID card as well. The service purports that the fake documents are identical to authentic versions and that for some countries it can even register the false passports in "official government department databases".

On DiplomaCompany.com fake Australian university diplomas and transcripts are sold for $US249.99 and $US199.99, respectively. The fake degrees match the templates used by the desired university.

On eBay a British seller offers several Australian military certificates which can be printed on parchment paper with the buyer's chosen name, rank, number and date. There are various battalion and regiment options listed several of which include the Australian Army logo.

The price for the army certificates ranges from just $4.50 to $7.50. While the seller did not respond to a request for comment, on the advertisements they write the certificates "are of no military value and are for personal use only".

Ron Coxon, national president of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, said he was "disgusted" by the fake military certificates and said police should take action if any was available. He said his association had previously had "a lot of problems with wannabes" but that had "quietened off now" as it was relatively easy to verify credentials via the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Verify works with over 300 Australian corporations including Telstra, Rio Tinto, Suncorp, Medibank and CSR.

"Our research has uncovered literally dozens of sites offering not only [fake] ID but qualifications, licenses and even supposedly 'fool proof' passports," said Newton said.

He said in running background checks for clients he "frequently" saw bogus qualifications and many sites selling the false documents covered their backs by stating they were "only for recreational use".

Newton said one fake passport or drivers' licence could be used to obtain other forms of identification and set up bank accounts and credit cards. Essentially, an entirely new identity could be created.

"If a genuine document derived from a fake one is submitted, it becomes harder still to verify identity," he said.

Alex Steel, associate professor of law at the University of New South Wales, said under NSW law, forgery carried a maximum penalty of 10 years prison. But it would have to be proved that the documents were made without authorisation by a person who intended to deceive and who as a result obtained a form of financial advantage.

There are specific federal laws against knowingly possessing a forged passports which also carries a 10 year maximum penalty.

Earlier this month Fairfax Media reported that police were investigating online fake ID stores such as Fakies.com.au, which supply proof-of-age and other cards to Australian under 18s who use them to buy alcohol and enter bars and clubs.

One Victorian teen who bought a fake proof of age card, John Arnold, told Fairfax he attempted to use the ID in a bottle shop and was caught by police and fined $450. "I wouldn't suggest buying one," he said.

NSW Police said the legality or otherwise of making, possessing and using fake identification instruments depended on the intention of the maker and user. Those who use them to gain a financial advantage or cause financial disadvantage risked imprisonment.

The AFP said websites hosted outside of Australia - as many of the false document sites are - were not within its remit, but Australians considering ordering from the sites should be aware that it was an offence to deal in or possess false identification including drivers licences, credit cards and passports.

Defence and government representatives were unavailable to comment over the long weekend.